How to Win An Election (Not)

Well, well, well ...this must be a new strategy to win elections...alienate the hearts and minds of half the population by saying that they should not have any rights. Rights are supposedly a Western invention, which seems to say that in Islam, one has no rights, especially if you're a woman.

These are the same people behind HIMPUN. I've always maintained that these supremacist movements are basically macho male movements and women have absolutely nothing to gain from them. Well, here's proof.

 

Muslim NGO bares fangs over gender rights forum

7:16PM Oct 29, 2011

A Muslim NGO is taking issue with a roundtable discussion on gender rights and women’s issues on the basis that it allegedly promotes “Western” ideas that it claims are a threat to Islamic values.

The group, Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Mapim), in a statement today objected to the event ‘Gender Equality: Unaddressed Women's Rights Issues’ organised by Empower on Oct 31 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Mapim general-secretary Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid singled out two sessions at the roundtable in particular, ‘UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Defending the Human Rights of Lesbians, Bisexual Women and Transgenders in Malaysia’ by Angela Kuga Thas and ‘A CEDAW Approach to Family Law in Advancing Equality and Non Discrimination’ by Lalitha Menon.

“Mapim rejects attempts by a group of secularists and liberals who are keen to be slaves of the Western agenda,” said Mohd Azmi.

“Discussions such as this is secretly aimed at fuelling campaigns and advocacy to change the values and moral foundations of Islam that are central to Malay-Muslims and Malaysians in general,” he charged.

“We are concerned with attempts by this group which want to highlight the rights of lesbians and bisexual women in terms of human rights within the country.”

He said that it was not acceptable to bring to the fore discussions of the rights of lesbians and gays in terms of human rights.

“Lifestyles that are opposed to Islam and Eastern culture should not be made topics for debate because Malaysian society has already been shaped by religious values that should be respected,” said Mohd Azmi.

According to publicity material on the forum found on the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) website, the full-day roundtable discussion "aims at promoting and monitoring gender equality to see whether it is in line with the rights-based framework as put forward in the rights-based framework as put forward in the CEDAW, ratified by Malaysia in 1995".

It will feature opening remarks by Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam.

No to discussion on women’s equality
 
In the same breath, the Mapim representative also riled against attempts at the same forum to discuss women-related family laws “from the angle of equality and discrimination”.
“Mapim regrets efforts to challenge Islamic family laws and those who criticise it based on human and gender rights, such as is highlighted in Western culture and values.

“Efforts to continue to question Islamic family laws within the Islamic Family Enactment that now exists in this country will bring with it huge implications, that is to move for Islamic laws to be changed to suit the values and lifestyles of the secular-liberal West, in the name of women’s rights and human rights,” he said.

Using the age-old argument that the position of Islam is guaranteed in the constitution as the nation's official religion, Mohd Azmi argued that this position should be “entrenched as the basis of all forms of thought that are advanced in the mainstream of our society”.

 

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Perhaps this Azmi fellow should travel to Tunisia where in the recent elections, the Islamist party Ehnnada reaffirmed that they would respect women's rights there. Tunisia has been one of the most advanced Muslim countries when it comes to women's rights, even outlawing polygamy since its independence from France in 1956.

28 October 2011 Last updated at 14:06 GMT

Tunisia's Islamists 'reaffirm commitment to women'

Smoke is seen in the sky as police use tear gas on crowds protesting after the country's first democratic elections

The leader of the Islamist party that won the most seats in Tunisia's elections has said women's social gains would not be reversed.

Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi promised to strengthen the role of women in Tunisian politics.
Mr Ghannouchi appealed for calm in Sidi Bouzid where violent protests broke out after election officials disqualified candidates from a rival party.
Tunisian troops fired in the air to disperse hundreds of protesters.
There were no reports of casualties.
The BBC's Chloe Arnold, in North Africa, says the protests have marred what was otherwise praised by international observers as a peaceful, free and fair election on Sunday.
Policy change fears Since its victory in Sunday's vote, Ennahda has sought to reassure secularists and investors, nervous about the prospect of Islamists holding power in one of the Arab world's most liberal countries, by saying it would not ban alcohol, stop tourists wearing bikinis on the beaches or impose Islamic banking.
But despite the reassurances, Ennahda's victory is causing concern in some parts of Tunisia, who fear the party could later change its policies, our correspondent says.

"Ennahda reaffirms its commitment to the women of Tunisia, to strengthen their role in political decision-making, in order to avoid any going back on their social gains," Mr Ghannouchi said at a news conference.
No attempt would be made to force women to wear the headscarf, including in government, he added.
The party, which won more than 41% of the vote and 90 seats in the 217-member parliament, is in coalition talks, reportedly with its nearest rivals, the CPR and Ettakatol.
Correspondents say both are left-wing secularist parties which have insisted they will maintain Tunisia's Muslim identity.